Silence
by weirdsib
Summary: Now Mikey lived alone in what was once a loud and lively lair. At one point, he had tried speaking out loud to himself to fill the lonely void that had been left behind by the absence of his family, but over time, he learned this only made the pain worse.


**So I wrote a new oneshot, and it's, well, it's pretty sad, in my opinion. You have been warned. **

**Do you people really think I own TMNT? I promise you I don't. Enjoy!**

Silence

In his youth, Michelangelo had never been one for silence. He best expressed himself through talking, joking, and laughing. He tried to encourage these things in his friends and family as well. He would always be the one to spread joy through his contagious smile and laughter. He could lighten the mood of most if not any situations. It was something he was proud of and, though his brothers didn't always admit it, it was something they needed. Through all the rough patches in life, Mikey was there to throw in a joke and make the patches a little bit smoother. Mikey used words to make others happy. It was his purpose.

It _had_ been his purpose.

Now, however, he didn't have anything to say anymore. He found no point in talking when there was no one there to respond. He had no one to spread his laughter to. No one to share stories and memories with. Over many years, the few people he held close in his life had passed on, leaving a quiet, empty lair behind. Mikey only had his belongings and the walls as company now. Of course, he wouldn't complain. Why complain about something you can't control? Death was a natural thing. A part of life.

Master Splinter had been the first to part with them. They had found him in his room, and at first glance, he looked like he was sleeping. But when they had attempted to wake him, he never responded. It had left the family a mess at first. Raphael had become fueled by anger, and often took it out on his brothers. He never got physical, but words could be just as hurtful, and in his grief, he had said things he didn't mean. Donnie had grown distant, keeping himself locked away in his lab for days at a time. Leo tried hard to stay positive, but even he couldn't deny his forlorn.

In the end, it was Mikey who had brought them all back together. Of course, it hadn't been easy. It was extremely difficult, especially when Mikey was grieving himself. Through words of comfort and hope, he had slowly lifted their spirits, reminding them that they still had lives to live and that Splinter would want them to cherish those lives and live them to the fullest. Through talking and optimism, he had healed his whole family.

The next to leave had been Raph. Unlike master Splinter, Raphael hadn't died in a peaceful manner, but in a vicious battle with the Shredder. That had been a night of victory, but none of them acknowledged that. When they thought of that night, they only thought of the major loss they had all loss of a brother. The Shredder had fallen that night, but so had Raph, protecting the family he cared so much about. They had all mourned together, making sure to be there for each other.

If it hadn't been for Mikey, they would have never made it through. He didn't dwell on Raph's death, but instead celebrated his life, making sure Leo and Donnie did the same thing. They would often share stories together, keeping Raph in their memories and thoughts. Mikey had, once again, pulled the family through.

Then Leo was the next to go. Mikey didn't exactly know what had caused Leo's death. He knew it was an illness, but what that illness had been was beyond him. Mikey knew Leo's death had come as a relief to his oldest brother. A release from his suffering, a suffering not only brought on by illness, but by years of loss and heavy responsibility. Leo had died peacefully, in his sleep, just as their master had.

Donatello had wallowed in guilt after Leo's death. As the family doctor, he had blamed himself for not being able to cure his ailing older brother. He had hated himself for something that wasn't his fault. Mikey was the only brother their to console Donnie in his time of self loathing and grief. He had to constantly remind Donnie that Leo's death wasn't his fault. That sometimes, death wasn't something that could be controlled, and in Leo's case, it couldn't be. It just happened. He told Donnie that Leo was in a better place and that he would want them to be happy. Eventually, Donnie had taken Mikey's words into consideration, and he had come to terms with Leo's death, deciding to accept it.

For many years after Leo's death, Mikey and Donnie had been their for each other. April would occasionally come over, but even if she didn't, they were never lonely. They had each other to talk to, and talk they did. Talking relieved them both of all their stress. They would talk about everything. Food, animals, cartoons, the meaning of life, their brothers...

And then the day came when Donatello left. Mikey found him in his lab, laying on top of some blueprints on his desk. Despite Mikey's hollering of his name and shaking of his shoulders, he never woke up. He didn't know how Donnie had died, but he assumed it was from old age. Maybe it was more than that, but Mikey didn't want to dwell on it too much. He only hoped Donnie had died happy. He told himself his immediate older brother had died happy, but he wouldn't know for sure until they met again.

After Donnie had left, April had been the only one remaining, and they had comforted each other. Over time though, her visits became less and less, until she didn't come at all. Mikey didn't know why, but he wasn't angry with her. He knew in his heart she had a good reason.

Now Mikey lived alone in what was once a loud and lively lair. At one point, he had tried speaking out loud to himself to fill the lonely void that had been left behind by the absence of his family, but over time, he learned this only made the pain worse. To talk to the air and get deafening silence as a reply, it left Mikey saddened. It reminded him of his loneliness. He decided if he couldn't overpower the quiet, he would become one with it. Learn to live in it and enjoy it. With that, his whole life was engulfed by silence, and for the remainder of it, he didn't speak a word.

However, just because he lacked speaking didn't mean he was depressed. It was quite the opposite, actually. He still smiled daily, making sure to find joy in the life he had left to live. Sometimes he would even go topside and sit on the rooftops at night to reminisce. He still found pleasure in things every day, especially in the sky. The moon, the stars, they made him smile. They symbolized the existing light in the darkness, and he liked that. He always imagined that four of those stars were his brothers and father, and that they were watching him right now, smiling down at him and waving to him. He would always wave back.

He knew he would see them again soon enough, but he wasn't in a rush. He didn't mind the wait.

For now, he was perfectly happy with his silence.

**That was it... I listened to some sad music before writing this. It technically has a happy ending though. You just need to move on in life and not dwell on the hard times and losses, but focus on the good times and what you still possess. I apologize for any typos. It's 4:00 am where I live, and though I tried proofreading it, I may have missed something. I'm tired. Thanks for reading! **


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